On October 22, 2017, the Toronto Star dedicated four pages, including its front page, in an attempt to exonerate Ayman Elkasrawy, an imam at “Masjid Toronto” mosque, from anti-Jewish and anti-infidel prayers during Ramadan 2016. It is filled with errors in fact and the gross omission of facts.

The article was penned by Jennifer Yang and approved by Kathy English, the Star’s public editor.

I have sent several media inquiries to the Publisher, John Bolton; Bob Hepburn media inquiries; Kathy English and Jennifer Yang. None responded.

In a previous article, I presented Toronto Star’s dubious statement about one of the five experts who allegedly analyzed Ayman Elkasrawy’s prayers and their translation and didn’t know Elkasrawy.

According to this expert:

Toronto Star sent the expert ONLY one line (“purify al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Jews”) of the two prayers in question that were recited by Ayman Elkasrawy;

Toronto Star DID NOT send the expert the prayers (text or video).

Toronto Star provided the expert with BACKGROUND INFORMATION about the imam: that the Imam “never meant to cause offence to Jews”.

Through my investigation I’ve came across more information that once again puts the credibility of theToronto Star in question.

Jennifer Yang stated that all five experts didn’t know Ayman Elkasrawy who served as an imam at Masjid Toronto mosque that was established and is owned by the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC). One of the so called “independent” experts, Mohammad Aboghodda was presented by Yang as only “a lecturer with the Understanding Islam Academy.”

A quick online search found that Mohammad Aboghodda has an affiliation to the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideology and strong ties to the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), and to the Masjid Toronto mosque, where he served as an imam alongside imam Ayman Elkasrawy.

The following are excerpts from the Toronto Star’s article:

“Mohammad Aboghodda, a lecturer with the Understanding Islam Academy, an educational charity in Mississauga. Aboghodda was one of the Arabic translators consulted by the Star.”

“The experts — from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom — are Arabic translators, linguists and university professors with published book chapters, academic papers and textbooks. None of them knows Elkasrawy.”

Toronto Star was adamant in its statement that Mohammad Aboghodda like the other four experts did not know Ayman Elkasrawy.

I reached out, again, to The Toronto Star and asked about Mohammad Aboghodda. And once again The Toronto Star responded with resounding silence.

Here is my media inquiry.

From my investigation I’ve learned that:

Mr. Mohammad Aboghodda does not work at Understanding Islam Academy. This is the message I received from Understanding Islam Academy in response to a media inquiry.

Mohammad Aboghodda has been serving as an imam and religious guide and mentor at Masjid Toronto mosque including during the years 2015-2018 while Ayman Elkasrawy also served as an imam at the mosque.

The Muslim Association of Canada states that “it strives to practice Islam as embodied in the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and as understood in its contemporary, comprehensive, and balanced context by the late Imam Hassan Albanna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood.”